UN programme supports new-style rural area building in Vietnam

Thai Nguyen (VNA) – Vietnam has to date had 2,884 communes, or
32.3 percent of the total, recognised as new-style rural areas.

The information was announced on December 23 at a conference
in the northern province of Thai Nguyen to sum up the 2014-2017 United Nations
Joint Programme (UNJP) supporting the National Target Programme on New Rural
Development (NTP-NRD).

The UNJP armed at providing technical assistance for the
NTP-NRD in order to develop potential of Vietnam’s rural areas and coordinating
UN offices’ technical assistance for Vietnam’s new-style rural area building.

It focused on intensifying technology transfer for the
country’s agricultural production, improve the sector’s climate change response
capacity, help mobilise social investment in developing rural areas through
recommendations on rural financial policies, rural development strategies,
labour market and education quality.

Chief Representative of the UN Food and Agriculture
Origanisation in Vietnam Jong Ha Bae said that during 2014-2017, the UNJP
contributed to raising rural residents’ awareness, improving public investment
and policy and strategy building capacity in rural areas, and monitoring and assessing
the implementation of the NTP-NRD.

The programme helped increase monthly income of rural
residents and make positive changes in rural development in Vietnam, he stated.

The NTP-NRD, approved in June 2010, listed 19 basic
criteria, including infrastructure, education, health care and culture, as well
as environment and employment, for recognition as a new-style rural area.

It targets 50 percent of communes recognised as new-style rural
areas by 2020.-VNA